After breakfast at your hotel, you will travel to Polonnaruwa. Its ancient sections considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city of Polonnaruwa was the capital of ancient Sri Lanka from the 11th to the 13th centuries, during which time it became arguably the wealthiest country in the world. It is said that Sri Lanka was then known as the Granary of the East, and that more than 2000 varieties of rice were cultivated within its shores. The ancient monuments and remains of the sacred city bear witness to what would have been an impressive city that thrived under several benevolent kings who supported and encouraged the arts as well as agriculture during two centuries of prosperity. Although this civilisation eventually fell to invaders, evidence of its glory still remains. Visit the many attractions the sacred city has to offer, and be prepared to be dazzled by the statues and other monuments.

After the tour of Polonnaruwa, you will come back to Sigiriya, where you will climb the eponymous Sigiriya Rock Fortress in the late afternoon. Yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sigiriya, loosely meaning Lion Rock or Lion’s Mouth, is a 200 metre monolith out of which a fortress was created by the 5th century king Kashyapa, who feared for his life, and hence needed a secure location for his seat. His story is stuff of legend and reads like mythology. He always feared that his father, the king Dhathusena, a benevolent and popular king, would disown him for his behaviour and attitude, and proceeded to torture and execute his father by trapping him inside a wall. The prince named himself king, and proceeded to move his seat to Sigiriya. Not happy with just living in a cave, he got the services of the best engineering and artistic minds to create a masterpiece that has stood the test of time. 

The Sigiriya Rock Fortress is known in Sri Lanka as the eighth wonder of the ancient world, and with good reason. At the top of the rock, there is a pond which does not seem to dry out even during periods of drought, and modern scientists and engineers have no proper idea as to the source of the water there. More impressive are the fountains that, to this day, work especially during times of heavy rain. That these systems still run without the use of electricity or mechanical power has baffled the best modern minds. One of Sigiriya’s main attractions is a series of frescoes of Damsels holding flowers. Although only 22 of these iconic paintings remain, archaeologists claim that the entire rock face was adorned with them, making it the largest single painting the world has ever seen.

You will stay overnight in a luxurious boutique hotel in either Sigiriya or Dambulla.

After breakfast at your hotel, embark on a day in which you visit two other UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The first of these is the Rock Cave Temple of Dambulla, also known as the Golden Temple. This  site is located inside a series of caves atop a 500-foot (150 m) rock. The Golden Temple traces its history back more than 2,100 years, and has an impressive collection of Buddhist artworks including sculptures and paintings from different eras. The view of the area is also spectacular, as you will be able to see quite a long distance on clear days.

You will proceed to Kandy via Matale, where you will take a quick tour of an authentic Sri Lankan spice garden. Sri Lankans love their spices, and the Sri Lankan experience is incomplete without tasting some spicy food. See how different spices are grown, and the farming methods used, and take some fresh spices with you to take back home.

You will come to Sri Lanka’s Hill Capital Kandy, the last seat of Sri Lanka’s kings before British Colonial Rule. The Sacred City of Kandy is the second UNESCO World Heritage Site you will visit on this day (after the Golden Temple in the morning). The most significant location in Kandy is the Temple of the Tooth Relic, so called because it contains the most sacred artefact for Buddhist all over the world – the remains of a tooth of the Buddha that is said to have been retrieved from his funeral pyre. The tooth relic draws a large number of pilgrims and tourists to Kandy every day, and is the main object of adoration and worship used in the colourful annual procession known as the Kandy Esala Perahera. The Temple grounds contain several museums and shrines that show the significance and history of the tooth relic. 

In the evening, you will be able to witness a cultural show that would include drums, dances, and other items that show off the cultural diversity of Sri Lanka.

You will stay overnight in a luxurious budget hotel in Kandy.

After breakfast, you will visit the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya, just outside of Kandy. . These vast gardens were once the pleasure park for Sri Lankan kings and are now the most important botanical garden in the country. As many as 4,000 species of flora, including rare and endemic plants, are grown in the park. Watch out for the Palm-lined avenues, the double coconut trees, the giant bamboo, and the Giant Java Fig tree that provides shade to a vast area. The botanical gardens are also home to several research facilities. 

After the Royal Botanical Gardens, you will visit three ancient temples found in close proximity to each other about 15 km west of Kandy. Collectively known as the three Western Shrines, these three temples are Gadaladeniya, Embakke, and Lankathilaka, and were all created in the 14^th Century during the Gampola Kingdom. Each of these temples are quite picturesque, and give one a sense of serenity and contains Buddhist art from several centuries. The Embakke Temple is especially well known for its ornate wood carvings that have survived the centuries in pristine condition.

After exploring the three Western Shrines, you will come back to Kandy, where you will stay overnight at your boutique hotel.

After breakfast, you will be taken to Ella. En route, you will get a chance to see a lush tea plantation and factory and get to see the world’s best tea being produced. Your experience will include observing how the tea leaves are diligently plucked and collected at the plantation and processed in the factory until it reaches its final form. You will also get to have a taste of several types of tea that are produced at the factory. 

The road to Ella from Kandy is one of the most scenic drives in the country. You will see many waterfalls, mountain ranges, valleys below, forested areas, cliffs, and even the wildlife that thrive in these conditions. Despite all this, there are only a few uninhabited areas along this route, so you will get a chance to see how people go about their daily lives in these conditions.

There is one location in Ella, named the Ella Gap that simply takes your breath away. Here, there is a dizzying drop of about 3000 ft. that makes visible the eastern plains between two mountain ranges. This is a definite stop in anyone’s journey to the area, and every picture will be postcard-worthy.

You will stay overnight in a luxurious boutique hotel in Ella